CRER’s Michael Weaver represented the property owner in the lease of 3258 N. Southport Avenue in Chicago, and the prominent Lakeview corner is now home to Colectivo Coffee’s newest cafe. The Milwaukee based roaster opened its Southport Corridor location on July 8, 2026, backfilling the former Schoolyard Tavern at the corner of Southport Avenue and School Street. It is one of the most walkable and heavily trafficked neighborhood retail stretches on the North Side, anchored by nearby shops, theaters, and restaurants.
The approximately 2,100 square foot cafe occupies a historic building that Colectivo restored as part of its buildout. The project included a full rebuild of a structural wall, a significant investment that turned a standard cafe conversion into a complete restoration of the corner. The finished space seats roughly 40 guests indoors with additional patio seating, and it is open daily from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. For ownership, the lease placed a well capitalized, high traffic daytime operator on a signature corner, reinforcing the Southport Corridor’s standing as one of the strongest neighborhood retail markets in the city.
Colectivo Coffee was founded in Milwaukee in 1993 and has built its reputation on house roasted coffee, distinctive neighborhood cafes, and a practice of repurposing historic architecture. The Southport cafe is the company’s seventh in the Chicago area and its 23rd overall, joining existing Chicago cafes including Lincoln Park, Wicker Park, Logan Square, Andersonville, and Ravenswood. Guests can expect Colectivo’s signature espresso drinks, cold brew on tap, all day breakfast, scratch made sandwiches, and house made bakery items. To mark the opening, Colectivo partnered with Chicago artist Alyssa Low on a limited edition design celebrating the Southport neighborhood, the newest release in the roaster’s ongoing Guest Artist Series.
This announcement is one of several recent openings and leasing wins brokered by CRER:
- CRER Represents Med Spa in 3,700 SF Lease at 626 W. Randolph
- CRER’s Timothy Keenan Brokers Landmark Lease at Germania Place with Fever
- Midwest Express Clinic Now Open in Hyde Park
- Retail Lease: CRER Fills CEDARst’s Landmark Teller House Corner
- CRER Facilitates 6,200 SF Lease in Wicker Park
- Sean Mason, CCIM, Secures 15-Year Lease for Ground Floor Retail at 1334 W Devon in Edgewater
If you own retail property and want to lease up a prominent space, or you are a brand looking to expand across Chicago, CRER’s leasing team can help. Reach out to Michael for more details.
